1689 Baptist Confession of Faith
Chapter 2
OF GOD AND OF THE HOLY TRINITY
Paragraph 1.
The Lord our God is but one only living and true God;1 whose subsistence is in and of Himself,2 infinite in being and perfection; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but Himself;3 a most pure spirit,4 invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto;5 who is immutable,6 immense,7 eternal,8 incomprehensible, almighty,9 every way infinite, most holy,10 most wise, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will,11 for His own glory;12 most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him,13 and withal most just and terrible in His judgments,14 hating all sin,15 and who will by no means clear the guilty.16
Genesis 1:1 | In the beginning God …
T. P. Simmons
The Bible begins by assuming and declaring the existence of God, without undertaking to prove it.
John Gill (1697-1771)
I shall begin with the Being of God … which is the foundation of all religion; for if there is no God, religion is a vain thing; and it matters not neither what, we believe, nor what we do; since there is no superior Being to who we are accountable for either faith or practice.
C. D. Cole | “The Being of God”
We have no intention of making labored and elaborate arguments for the existence of God. We start where the Bible starts [cf. – Genesis 1:1]. The Bible assumes the existence of God, and we assume that our readers will do the same.
THEME: God is an awesome God!
1
1 Cor. 8:4, 6 | Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. … yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.
John MacArthur | The stone, precious metal, or wood is real, but there is no god behind it. The
image is not of anything that really exists. It only reflects the imagination of the one who
designed it, or the impersonation of the demon who deceives through it ([1 Corinthians]
10:20).
Deut. 6:4 | Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!
.. cf. – vv. 5-6 | You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.
2
Jer. 10:10 | But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King at His
wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure His indignation.
Isa. 48:12 | Listen to Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called; I am He, I am the first, I am also the last.
Job 5:8-9 | But as for me, I would seek God, and I would place my cause before God; Who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number. – cf. Romans 11:33-36.
3
Exod. 3:14 | God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons
of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.
.. I AM – (Hb. hayah – haw-yaw) means: to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic …) Strong # 1961.
A.W. Pink | (Quoting a Dr. Pentecost), writes: I am … contains each tense of the verb – to be – and might be translated, I was, I am, and I shall always continue to be.
Douglas K. Stuart | Here the revelation of the name Yahweh is first given in its first-person form, ahyeh … understood by the translators of the LXX as the simple imperfect tense of the verb “to be” … thus … I am … which means “I cause to be.” The name should thus be understood as referring to Yahweh’s being the creator and sustainer of all that exists and thus the Lord of both creation and history, all that is and all that is happening – a God active and present in historical affairs.
4
John 4:24 | God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
.. Spirit – (Gk. pneuma – Str. #4151) means: spirit, wind, breath, inner life.
John MacArthur | This verse represents the classical statement on the nature of God as Spirit. The phrase means that God is invisible (Col 1:15; 1 Ti 1:17; Heb 11:27) as opposed to the physical or material nature of man ([Jn] 1:18; 3:6). The word order of this phrase puts an emphasis on “spirit,” and the statement is essentially emphatic. Man could never comprehend the invisible God unless He revealed Himself, as He did in Scripture and the Incarnation.
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1 Tim. 1:17 | Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory
forever and ever. Amen.
.. Eternal – existing with beginning or end; forever existence
.. Immortal – not subject to death; living forever; deathless
.. Invisible – not visible; not capable of being seen
.. The Only – in on manner or for one purpose alone | solely, exclusively | alone in its class; standing alone by reason of superior excellent
Deut. 4:15-16 | So watch yourselves carefully, since you did not see any form on the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire, so that you do not act corruptly and make a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female
.. The 3rd Commandment – cf. Exodus 20:4; Deuteronomy 5:8 | You shall not make for yourself any idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.
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Who is immutable –
.. Immutable – not mutable; unchanging; unalterable
.. Mutable – capable of or subject to change
Mal. 3:6 | For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not
consumed.
.. Consumed – to destroy; to use up; to squander – i.e., thoroughly
Richard Taylor and E. Clendenen | The verse [Mal. 3:6] may be translated … “Because, I Yahweh, have not changed, you, the sons of Jacob, have not perished.” The point is that if Yahweh were the kind of unfair and unfaithful God they charge him with being … he would have put an end to them long ago. … Though [they] may show contempt for the covenant [context: between God and Abraham/Isaac/Jacob], the Lord will never violate … his own covenant. What he has promised [cf. Mal. 1:1-3; Ro. 9:10-24] by oath stands.
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1 Kings 8:27 | But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven
cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!
Jer. 23:23 | Am I a God who is near, declares the LORD, and not a God far off?
.. Immense – having no limits; infinite.
Psalms 139:7-8 | Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
8
Ps. 90:2 | Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even
from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
.. Eternal – neither beginning or end (everlasting to everlasting).
Daniel 7:13 | … Ancient of Days …
Psalm 102:25-27 | Of old You founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. Even they will perish, but You endure; and all of them will wear out like a garment; like clothing You will change them and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end.
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Gen. 17:1 | Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said
to him, I am God Almighty; walk before Me, and be blameless.
.. Incomprehensible – Archaic: boundless.
Romans 11:33 | Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways.!
.. God Almighty – (Hb. El Shaddai) i.e., emphasizing the attribute of God’s power, which in this context will enable Sarai to bear Abram a son [Ch. 18:9-15].
10
Isa. 6:3 | And one called out to another and said, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, the
whole earth is full of His glory.
.. Infinite – (noun) | having no boundaries or limits … all embracing; perfect: infinite wisdom. … (adjective) | Infinite is applied to those things which we believe to have no bounds.
Genesis 18:25 | … Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?
.. Holy – (Gk. hagiazo – Strong # 37, 40, 41) means: to sanctify, consecrate (separate or set apart) to Godly things [Mounce, 33].
1 Peter 1:15-16 | … like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy. – cf. Leviticus 11:44.
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.. Emphasis – working all things according to … his own … will -
Ps. 115:3 | But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.
Psalm 103:19 | The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty [kingdom - NKJ; NAS marginal note] rules over all.
Psalm 47:2 | For the Lord Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth.
Isa. 46:10 | Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure. – cf. Daniel 4:34-35.
Romans 8:28 | And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
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.. Emphasis – for His own glory -
Prov. 16:4 | The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil.
Romans 9:14-16, 18-24 | What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion. So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. … Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. You will say to me then, Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will? But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, Why have you made me like this? Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? What if God wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. [NJK]
Rom. 11:36 | For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things to Him be the glory forever. Amen.
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.. Emphasis – MOST | Loving - Gracious – Merciful – Long-suffering – Abundant in Goodness
Truth
Exod. 34:6-7 | Then the LORD passed by in front of [Moses] and proclaimed, The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.
God Forgives:
1. Iniquity – i.e., lawlessness – wickedness
2. Transgressions – i.e., to step aside – over stepping
3. Sin – i.e., missing the mark (similar to aim at the bulls-eye and then missing it)
Romans 5:8 | … God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – cf. Romans 5:6-11.
Heb. 11:6 | And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
.. Rewarder – (Gk. phrase misthapodotes ginetai tois ekzetousin) – A.T. Robertson: God “becomes a rewarder” to those who “seek after” [i.e., diligently] him.
Matthew 7:7-8 | ask/receive – seek/find – knock/opened
14-16 .. Emphasis – withal God is just and terrible in His judgments
14
.. In addition to His awesomeness God is also Just and Terrible in His Judgments
Neh. 9:32-33 | Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness, do not let all the hardship seem insignificant before You, which has come upon us, our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers and on all Your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria to this day. However, You are just in all that has come upon us; for You have dealt faithfully, but we have acted wickedly.
.. Withal – Archaic means: therewith, Modern English means: together with this; with the rest, in addition [to].
1. Just – fair or impartial in acting or judging.
2. Terrible – of a nature to excite terror (extreme fear).
3. Judgment – a time when a right is enforced by authority.
Genesis 18:25b | (Abraham speaking to God) … far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
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.. Hating all sin
Ps. 5:[4]-6 | 4 For you are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; no evil dwells with You.
5 The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity. 6 You destroy
those who speak falsehood; the LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.
.. Sin – Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature. – cf. 1 John 3:4b | … sin is lawlessness. / The rejection of the law, or will, of God and the substitution of the will of self.
(Gk. harmatia – Strong # 266), noun, means: literally missing the mark.
Proverbs 6:16-19 | These six things the Lord hates, Yea, seven are abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren. [NKJ]
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.. Will not clear the guilty
Exod. 34:7 | who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.
NOTE: Ever wonder if the generation of our children and their children are being visited with the iniquity of us the Baby Boomers? It is our generation in the 60’s that rebelled greatly against authority and God Himself. Makes one to wonder if perhaps some of our woes today with our children and grandchildren is found within the parameters of Romans 1:18-32; 2 Timothy 3:1-9.
Nahum 1:2-3 | A jealous and avenging God is the LORD; the LORD is avenging and wrathful the LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies. The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished in whirlwind and storm is His way, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet.
Hebrews 10:31 | It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
.. We can be assured that when we stand at God’s judgment, whether for good or bad, that the Lord will be truthful and just concerning each individual.
2 Corinthians 5:10 | For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
Revelation 20:11-12 | Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged, from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.
NOTE: However God’s forgiveness is available to those who will repent and believe – cf.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 | … do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, not thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Theme: God alone is –
Paragraph 2.
God, having all life,17 glory, 18 goodness, 19 blessedness, in and of Himself, is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creature which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them,20 but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things,21 and He hath most sovereign dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever Himself pleases;22 in His sight all things are open and manifest,23 His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent or uncertain;24 He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works,25 and in all His commands; to Him is due from angels and men, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever He is further pleased to require of them 26.
17
John 5:26 | For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have
life in Himself.
Vs. 5 | Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and now is here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. [ESV]
ESV Study Bible Notes: | Just as the Father was never created and was never given his life by someone else, but has life in himself so that he can impart that life to others, so [too] the Son has life in himself and is able to call the dead to life. … [God did not give life to the Son, for the Son is God, equal with the Father (John 1:1-5)].
John 1:3-4 | All things came into being through Him [the Word, v. 1], and apart from Him nothing come into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
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Ps. 148:13 | Let them [v. 7-12] praise the name of the LORD, for His name alone is exalted; His glory is above earth and heaven.
NOTE: Psalms 146-150 are referred to as the Praise Psalms because each begin and end with the phrase “Praise the LORD!”
Isaiah 42:8a | I am the LORD, that is my name; and My glory I will not give to another …
John Phillips | God has a name. In the Old Testament He is known as [Yahweh]; in the New Testament He is to be addressed in the name of Jesus. For He alone is God and there is none else | Isaiah 37:16 [Hezekiah’s prayer for deliverance from the Assyrians], – cf. John 6:63-68.
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Ps. 119:68 | You are good and do good; teach me Your statutes.
.. Good – Hb. tob (an adjective), means: good or well, it describes goodness, beauty, and moral uprightness.
Psalm 86:5 | For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in loving kindness to all who call upon you.
Psalm 100:5 | For the Lord is good; His loving kindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.
Matthew 19:17 | [the rich young ruler] … There is none good but one, that is, God …
James 1:17 | … every good and perfect thing comes from God.
Romans 8:28 | And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
20
Job 22:2-3 | Can a vigorous man be of use to God, or a wise man be useful to himself? Is there any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous, or profit if you make your ways perfect?
.. vigorous – full of physical or mental vigor; robust … forceful and effective. / Brit: vig’our; Latin: vigere – means: to be lively, thrive | [KJV – profitable].
.. Profitable – bringing any advantage, gain, or advantage.
Job 37:22-24 | … God is clothed with awesome majesty. The Almighty – we cannot find him; he is great in power; justice and abundant righteousness he will not violate. Therefore men fear him; he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit. [ESV]
Proverbs 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.
.. Haughty – exhibiting great disdain for others.
Isaiah 64:6 | But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. [KJV]
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Rom. 11:34-36 | For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or
who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again? For from Him and through
Him and to Him are all things to Him be the glory forever. Amen.
.. Cf. Colossians 1:15-17 | [Speaking of Jesus Christ (v. 2-3), God’s beloved Son (v. 13)] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold [endure (margin note)] together.
NOTE: We (mankind) on this earth are the most intelligent, most versatile, and most expressive
of all of God’s creation. However, God needs none of us for counsel, riches, nor strength – cf.
Job 38:1-42:6 | … where were you …
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Dan. 4:25, 34-35 | that you be driven away from mankind and your dwelling place be with the
beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of
heaven; and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is
ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes. … But at the end of that
period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I
blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; for His dominion is an
everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the
inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of
heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him,
What have You done?
Arthur W. Pink | To say that God is sovereign is to declare that God is God.
Acts 17:24-26 | The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation.
Romans 8:28 | And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
NOTE: The Bible is very plain – Genesis 1:1 | In the beginning God …
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Heb. 4:13 | And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and
laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
Psalms 33:13-14 | The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men; from His dwelling place He looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, He who fashions the hearts of them all, He who understands all their works.
Psalms 139:7-8 | Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? I ascend to heaven, You are there; I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. – cf. John 4:24 | God is spirit …
.. Omnipresence of God | These passages teach us that God is unlimited with respect to space. [i.e., He is omnipresence] …
.. The fact that God is Lord of space and cannot be limited by space is evident ,,. from the fact that He created it – for the creation of the material world (Gen. 1:1) implies the creation of space as well. – cf. Deuteronomy 10:14 | Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it.
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Ezek. 11:5 | Then the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and He said to me, Say, ‘Thus says the
LORD, So you think, house of Israel, for I know your thoughts.
.. For I know your thoughts – This speaks of God’s knowledge (His omniscience) of what go on in the secret or dark places.
.. In the context of this verse God is telling His prophet Ezekiel to prophesize to those who devise iniquity and give evil advice in Jerusalem and that He is going to destroy them because they have not kept His statutes. | God knows men’s thoughts before they even attempt to think –
Psalm 139:1-4 | O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it all.
.. Omniscience of God | made be defined as follows: God fully knows himself and all things actual and possible in one simple and eternal act.
Acts 15:18 | Says the Lord, who makes these things known from long ago.
.. God’s Knowledge (Omniscience) is:
1. Infinite – having no boundaries or limits; all embracing.
2. Infallible – incapable of error [of any and all affairs].
3. Independent – not subject to the authority of another; autonomous.
NOTE: God goes to no one for counsel or wisdom – cf. Isaiah 55:9 | For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
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Ps. 145:17 | The LORD is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works. [KJV]
| The LORD is righteous in all His ways, and gracious in all His ways. [NKJ]
| The LORD is righteous in all His ways, and gracious in all His acts. [HCS]
| The LORD is righteous in all His ways, and kind in all His deeds. [NAS]
| The LORD is righteous in all His ways, and kind in all his works. [ESV]
.. Righteous in all His ways –
. Righteous | Hb. tsad-deek’ / Strong # 6662 – means: just: just, lawful, righteous (man).
James Montgomery Boice | “Righteous” here does not mean morally upright, though is that. He is the only true source or morality. It means rather that God is upright, or just, in responding to those who have needs and call on him, those who are in peril and seek salvation.
.. Holy in all His works –
. Holy | Hb. khaw-seed’ / Strong # 2623 – means: prop. kind, i.e. (religiously) pious (a saint): a godly (man), good, holy (one), merciful, saint, [un-] godly.
Charles Spurgeon | His ways and works are worthy to be praised. Jehovah cannot be unjust or impure. Let His doings be what they may, they are in every case righteous and holy. … Whatever God is or does must be right. …
John Phillips | The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in His works. It will be the same with the administration of justice as with the apportionment of resources: God will have no favorites.
NOTE: God is righteous and holy in all of His dealings of man w/o respect of person – He
sends rain on both the just and the unjust – cf. Matthew 5:45.
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Rev. 5:11-14 | [Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the
living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands
of thousands], saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and
riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. And every created thing which
is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard
saying, To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and
dominion forever and ever. And the four living creatures kept saying, Amen and the elders fell
down and worshiped.
In all His commands … as Creator, He is worthy to be praised and it is required –
1. From angels and men .
2. Whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator
3. And whatever He is further pleased to require of them
Ecclesiastes 12:13 | The conclusion, when all have been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this apples to every person.
Matthew 22:36-40 | Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law? And He said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like I, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.
Philippians 2:5-11 | Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
NOTE: God is our Creator, Sovereign God, and Providential Lord –
Psalm 118:24 | This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
.. Unto Him is all honor and glory due – let us remember that and “Praise the Lord!”
Psalm 150:1-6
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens!
Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to his excellent greatness!
Praise Him with trumpet sound;
Praise Him with lute and harp!
Praise Him with Tambourine and dance;
Praise Him with strings and pipes!
Praise Him with sounding cymbals;
Praise Him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
Theme: God is a Triune being, yet alone one God –
Paragraph 3.
In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistence’s, the Father, the Word or Son, and Holy Spirit,27 of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided:28 the Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father;29 the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son;30 all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties and personal relations; which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on Him.
Trinity – We define the doctrine of the Trinity as follows: God eternally exists as three persons [subsistence here in the opening statement], Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and each person is fully God, and there is one God. – cf. Deut. 6:4 | hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
27
1 John 5:7 | For there are three that bear record [witness – NKJ] in heaven, the Father, the Word,
and the Holy Ghost [Spirit] – NKJ]: and these three are one. [KJV].*
* The KJV and the NKJ are based on the Erasmus’ Greek NT published in 1516 by Froben’s press (Basle) under the title of: Novum instrumentum, this was Erasmus’ revised translation of the Latin Vulgate from the Greek New Testament. Alongside the Latin was the Greek original. … Erasmus produced four more editions of his New Testament, in 1519, 1522, 1527, and 1535. Originally omitting the ‘Johannine Comma’, that is the passage in 1 John 5:7-8 relating to the ‘Three Witness in Heaven’, he noted that if he should see a good enough manuscript including it, he would include it. … one such proof was given to Erasmus. This was the Montfort Codex, [seemingly written between 1519 and 1522], which is a copy of the Leicester Codex . With this evidence Erasmus included the ‘Johnannine Comma’ in his next publication of 1522.
After [Erasmus’] death in 1536, further editions of Erasmus’ Greek New Testament were printed by others … importantly, by Robert Estienne, or Stephanus, in Paris. Stephanus’ third edition, in 1550, was reprinted for the Elzevir edition in Leiden in 1633, from Erasmus with a little revision, and was there announced on the title-page as the Textus Receptus. That ‘Received Text’ was made the basis of all Greek New Testament translation work, with small exceptions, until the 1880’s.In other words, all the earlier translations, by Luther [1522], Tyndale [1525], and others [French, Dutch, Danish and Swedish] were from a form [Byzantine Text] which had become standard in the Eastern church during the Middle ages.
NOTE: The NAS, ESV, HCB, and other English translations translate verses 7-8 as: For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.
Such English translations as the NAS, ESV, and HCS, etc. are based on the Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece, 27th edition, and the United Bible Societies’ Greek New Testament, 4th edition, which are based on what are called the Alexandrian Text or the oldest manuscripts | – Sinaitic manuscript – fourth century codex found at the monastery of St. Catherine on Mount Sinai and Vaticanus manuscript - which is so named because it is kept at the Vatican Library in Rome | – along with the Majority Text (a consensus of the approx. 5,000+ verifiable pieces and sections of many different manuscripts that have been obtained studied by experts over many years).
THOT: Because of the textual criticism involving this text – it would appear to be advisable not to use 1 John 5:7 here as a proof text.
Matt. 28:19 | Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
.. This is part of the Great Commission that Christ gave to His apostles just before He ascended into heaven – please note here that the word “name” is singular, not plural – (Gk. o[noma - onoma / singular accusative neuter noun, Strong # 3686). Thus we are to baptize disciples in the NAME of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. – Note: all three are in the Greek with the definite article “the” found before their corresponding Greek syntactical noun.
ESV Study Notes: The name (singular, not plural) of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is an early indication of the Trinitarian Godhead and and an overt proclamation of Jesus’ deity.
John MacArthur NASB Study Bible Notes: In the name of the Father … Son … Holy Spirit. The formula is a strong affirmation of trinitarianism.
2 Cor. 13:14 | The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
John MacArthur NASB Study Bible Notes: The Trinitarian benediction reminded the Corinthians of the blessings they had received: “grace” from the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. 8:9), “love” from God the Father (cf. v. 11), and “fellowship” with God and one another through the Holy Spirit (cf. 1:22,; 5:5). Jesus was mentioned before the Father because His sacrificial death is the ultimate expression of God’s love.
ESV Study Notes: The only Trinitarian benediction in Paul’s letters, stressing that grace, love, and fellowship with one another comes from God in Christ through the Spirit.
Other NT verses that show a Trinitarian aspect –
Ephesians 1:3-14
1 Thessalonians 1:3-5
1 Peter 1:2
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Exod. 3:14 | God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM; and He said, Thus you shall say to the sons
of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.
ESV Study Notes: God reveals His name to be “Yahweh” (corresponding to the four Hebrew consonants YHWH). The three occurrences of “I AM” … all represent forms of the Hebrew verb that means “to be” (Hb. hayah), and in each case are related to the divine name Yahweh (i.e., “the LORD”). The divine name Yahweh has suggested to scholars a range of likely nuances of meaning: (1) that God is self-existent … (2) that God is the creator and sustainer of all that exists; (3) that God is immutable in his being and character … (e.g., “the same yesterday and today and forever,” Heb. 13:8); (4) that God is eternal in his existence.
.. See Notes concerning this verse – pg. 16 of this study.
John 1:1-3 | In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
Hebrews 13:8 | Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Revelation 1:8 | I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
Revelation 3:14 | The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God
John 14:11 | Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.
John 14:7-9 | If you had known Me, you would have known the Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him. Philip said to Him, Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us. Jesus said to him, Have I been so long with you, yet you have not come to know Me Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, Show us the Father?
John 10:30 | I and the Father are one.
Colossians 1:15 | He [Jesus Christ, Son – vv. 3-4, 13-14) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
I Cor. 8:6 | yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.
NOTE: A Trinitarian aspect of the Godhead – three distinct persons / the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, yet there is only One God. – cf. Ephesians 1:3-14; 1 Thessalonians 1:3-5; 1 Peter 1:2
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John 1:14, 18 | And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory
as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. … No one has seen God at any
time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
John MacArthur NASB Study Bible Notes: The term “only begotten” is a mistranslation of the Gk. word. The word does not come from the term meaning “beget” but instead has the idea of “the only beloved one.” It, therefore, has the idea of singular uniqueness, of being beloved like no other. By this word, John emphasized the exculisive character of the relationship between the Father and the Son in the Godhead cf. 3:16, 18; 1 Jn 4:9).
Begotten – (Gk. monogenous – Strong # 3439) means: of what is the only one of its kind of class – unique.
The Englishman’s Greek Concordance of the NT | This Gk word is found 9 times in the NT, three (3) times by Luke (each time translated as only), once (1) in Hebrews 11:7 (where Abraham offered up his only begotten son Isaac), and used by John used five (5) times – four (4) times in his gospel account (1:14, 18; 3:16, 18 and once (1) in his first general epistle (4:9) – all being referred to the uniqueness of Jesus Christ.
Vine | With reference to Christ, the phrase “the only begotten from the Father,” … indicates that as the Son of God He was the sole representative of the Being and character of the One who sent Him. In the original the definite article is omitted both before “only begotten” and before “Father,” and in absence in each case serves to lay stress upon the characteristics referred to in the terms used. … We can only rightly understand the term “the only begotten” when used of the Son, in the sense of unoriginated relationship. “The begetting is not an event of time, however, remote, but a fact irrespective of time. The Christ did not become, but necessarily and eternally is the Son. He is a Person, possess every attribute of pure Godhood. This necessitates eternity, absolute being; in this respect He is not ‘after’ the Father (Moule). … In John 1:18 the clause “the only begotten son, which is in the bosom of the Father,” expresses both His eternal union with the Father in the Godhead and the ineffiable intimacy and love between them, the Son sharing all the Father’s counsels and enjoying all His affections.
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John 15:26 | When the Helper [Comforter – KJV] comes, whom I will send to you from the
Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me
1. John speaks of the Holy Spirit –
John 7:39 – from whom flows rivers of living waters
John 14:16 – called the Helper (Comforter – KJV)
John 14:17 – the Spirit of truth
John 14:26 – the Helper (Comforter – KJV), the Holy Spirit
John 16:7 – the Helper (Comforter – KJV) … I will send to you
John 16:13-14 – he the Spirit of truth … He will glorify Me
1 John 4:2 – the Spirit of God … confesses … Jesus Christ
Revelation 2:7 – … hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation 22:17 – the Spirit and the Bride say come.
2. Peter speaks of the Holy Spirit –
Acts 5:3 – Ananias … why lie to the Holy Spirit …
Acts 5:9 – Why … put the Holy Spirit of the Lord to the test
3. Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit –
Acts 16:6 – forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia
Acts 16:7 – trying to go into Bithynia … the Spirit of Jesus did not permit
1 Timothy 4:1 – the Spirit explicitly says in later times some …
Gal. 4:6 | Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father!
4. David asked – Where can I go from Your Spirit? | His answer, nowhere.
Psalms 139:7-12 |
Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me,
If I say, Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, and the light around me will be night,
Even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.
Work of the Holy Spirit –
John 16:8-11
And He [the Holy Spirit – Ch. 14:26], when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;
Concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me
Concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me
Concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
NOTE: Article Conclusion – God is –
.. All infinite, without beginning,
.. Therefore but one God,
.. Who is not to be divided in nature and being,
.. But distinguished by several peculiar relative properties and personal relations;
.. Which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation
.. Of all our communion with God, and
.. Comfortable dependence on Him.
Isaiah 44:6-8 | Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts:
.. I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no God.
. Who is like me?
. Let him proclaim it.
. Let him declare and set it before me,
.. Since I appointed an ancient people
. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.
.. Fear not, nor be afraid;
. Have not I told you from of old and declared it?
. And you are my witnesses!
.. Is there a God beside me?
. There is no Rock; I know not any.
What rich, in-depth study! I’m learning a lot.
Comment by Cindy Allen — February 1, 2011 @ 11:29 am |